Smoking article pack blank(s)

ABSTRACT

A smoking article pack blank having a lid ( 2 ) and a base portion ( 3 ), the lid and the base portion being interconnected along a hinge line ( 27 ) and the base portion comprising first ( 24 ) and second ( 25 ) main panels. The main panels of the smoking article pack blank each having side panels ( 32, 33, 38, 39 ) depending therefrom and at least one of the side panels having a side flap ( 35 ) depending therefrom. When erected the smoking article pack blank may be hinged about a longitudinal axis ( 34 ) of a side wall thereof. The invention further provides a smoking article pack assembly, which pack assembly comprises the smoking article pack blank and a plurality of inner blanks. The smoking article pack assembly may be hinged into an open position thereof about a longitudinal hinge line in a side wall of the erected pack assembly.

The present invention relates to a smoking article pack blank(s),particularly but not exclusively for cigarettes.

Multi-compartment packs for cigarettes are already known in the art. Forexample, FR2614720 discloses a pack comprising a plurality ofarticulated compartments, which compartments are closed by means of asingle interlocking lid. The patent does not disclose a blank from whichthe pack may be assembled, however, it is clear from the specificationof FR2614720 that the pack is not of a form that could readily beassembled using conventional, or little modified, pack assemblymachinery.

The present invention has as an aim the provision of smoking articlepack blank(s) which blank is easy to assemble at the high manufacturingspeeds required in the tobacco industry.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a blank(s) whichmay be assembled using conventional pack assembly machinery, or at leasta blank which may be assembled on machinery requiring littlemodification from conventional pack assembly machinery.

The present invention provides a smoking article pack blank, the blankcomprising a lid portion and a base portion, the lid portion and thebase portion being interconnected along a hinge line and the baseportion comprising a first main panel, a second main panel and a bottompanel, each panel being defined by longitudinal side margins, the firstand the second main panels each having side panels, which side panelsdepend from the longitudinal margins of the first and second mainpanels, at least one of the side panels having a side flap dependingfrom a longitudinal margin thereof.

Preferably the side flap is connected to the adjacent side panel by ahinge line.

Preferably each panel has a top margin and a bottom margin.

It is much by preference that the bottom panel of the smoking articlepack blank comprises at least two bottom panel sections. Advantageouslythe bottom panel comprises two bottom panel sections.

Preferably the bottom panel sections may be joined along a line ofweakening. In an alternative arrangement the bottom panel sections maybe integral with one another.

When the bottom panel sections are joined along a line of weakening, theline of weakening preferably extends between the longitudinal margins ofthe bottom panel. Advantageously the line of weakening extends betweenthe opposing longitudinal margins of the bottom wall, the line ofweakening extending up to but not through the longitudinal margins ofthe bottom wall. It is much by preference that the line of weakening inthe bottom panel extends between the longitudinal margins of the bottompanel in parallel relation to the top margin and/or the bottom margin ofthe bottom panel.

Advantageously the line of weakening is a line of perforation.

In the alternative arrangement, wherein the bottom panel sections areintegral with one another, it is much by preference that the bottompanel sections are separable from one another. Suitably the bottom panelsections are separable from one another by cutting along a line ofintegration between the two bottom panel sections. It is much bypreference that the line of integration extends between the opposinglongitudinal margins of the bottom panel. Even more preferably the lineof integration extends between the opposing longitudinal margins of thebottom panel in parallel relation to the top margin and/or the bottommargin of the bottom panel.

Advantageously the bottom panel has a depth dimension and the sidepanels have width dimensions substantially equal to a multiple of thediameter of a smoking article. If the smoking articles are in nestedarrangement within an erected pack, the depth dimension of the bottompanel and the width dimensions of the side panels of the smoking articlepack blank may be slightly less than a multiple of the diameter of asmoking article. When referred to herein, multiple shall be taken asincluding one. Preferably the width dimension of each of the side panelsdepending from a main panel of the smoking article pack blank issubstantially equal to the depth dimension of that bottom panel sectionadjacent to that main panel, which bottom panel section is delimited bythe line of weakening or the line of integration in the bottom panel.Suitably the panels of the smoking article pack blank have a commonlongitudinal axis.

Advantageously the total depth dimension of the bottom panel is equal tothe sum of the width of a side panel depending from a longitudinalmargin of the first main panel and the width of a side panel dependingfrom the longitudinal margin of the second main panel.

Preferably the hinge line connecting the side flap and the side panel isformed from the common longitudinal margin between the side flap and theside panel adjacent thereto.

Preferably the side flap depends from the outer longitudinal margin ofthe adjacent side panel.

Advantageously the side flap depends from the outer longitudinal marginof a side panel of the second main panel of the base portion of thesmoking article pack blank. When the smoking article pack blank iserected, the side flap overlaps a side panel of the other main panel ofthe blank. Alternatively, the side panel of the other main panel mayoverlap the side flap when the blank is erected.

It is much by preference that the side flap overlaps a side panel of thefirst main panel of the base portion of the smoking article pack blank.Advantageously, the side panel and the overlapping side flap are ofsubstantially equal width dimensions. When the smoking article packblank is erected it is much by preference that the longitudinal marginof the side panel from which margin the side flap depends forms alongitudinally extending hinge line in a side wall of the erected blank.The longitudinal margin of the overlapping side panel adjacent thelongitudinally extending hinge line allows the erected blank to-hingethereabout.

Preferably the smoking article pack blank is an outer blank. As referredto herein an ‘outer blank’ is a blank which may be assembled about anerected inner blank or a plurality of inner blanks or, alternatively maybe assembled about an assemblage of smoking articles which assemblage iswrapped in a wrapping material.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the smoking articlepack blank base portion comprises two side flaps, which side flapsdepend respectively from the longitudinal margins of the first andsecond side panels of one of the main panels of the blank. Preferablythe side flaps depend from the outer longitudinal margins of the firstand second side panels of the second main panel of the blank.

When the smoking article pack blank is erected it is much by preferencethat the longitudinal margins of the side panels from which margins theside flaps depend form longitudinally extending hinge lines in each ofthe side walls of the erected blank. The longitudinal margins of theoverlapping side panels adjacent the longitudinally extending hingelines allow the erected blank to hinge thereabout.

In the second embodiment of the present invention the smoking articlepack blank base portion further comprises a second line of weakening,which second line of weakening extends longitudinally from the topmargin of the second main panel to the bottom margin of the second mainpanel.

Preferably the second line of weakening extends longitudinally insubstantially parallel relation to the longitudinal side margins of thesecond main panel of the smoking article pack blank. In addition, thesecond line of weakening extends across the bottom margin of the secondmain panel, into the bottom panel of the smoking article pack blank.Preferably the bottom margin of the second main panel has a line ofweakening thereacross. It is much by preference that the second line ofweakening extends up to but does not intersect with, or extend beyond,the line of weakening extending transversely across the bottom panel ofthe bottom panel. Preferably the second line of weakening is locatedalong the central longitudinal axis of the second main panel and thebottom panel of the blank.

Preferably the second line of weakening is a line of perforation.

It will be understood that in an alternative arrangement of the secondembodiment of the present invention, the second line of weakening couldalternatively be a line of integration.

It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that the second embodiment ofthe present invention may equally comprise a line of weakening and aline of integration in combination. For example, the second line ofweakening may be replaced by a line of integration whilst there remainsa line of weakening in the bottom panel of the smoking article packblank. Likewise the line of weakening in the bottom panel of the smokingarticle pack blank may be replaced by a line of integration whilst thepack blank further comprises a second line of weakening.

In the alternative arrangement of the second embodiment of the presentinvention the second line of integration separates the second main panelof the smoking article pack blank into two second main panel sections.Preferably the two second main panel sections are separable from oneanother line the line of integration. It will be understood theseparation of the two second main panel sections along the line ofintegration may be by cutting, for example, along the line ofintegration.

The present invention may further provide a smoking article packassembly comprising plurality of inner blanks, which inner blanks may beused in combination with a smoking article pack blank of the presentinvention. When erected, each inner blank is capable of enwrapping abundle of smoking articles.

Preferably the inner blanks are formed separately from the smokingarticle pack blank of the present invention. Alternatively, the innerblanks may be formed as an integral part with the smoking article packblank.

It is much by preference that an inner blank comprises at least one mainpanel. More preferably the inner blank comprises two main panels.Advantageously the two main panels of the inner blank are interconnectedby a bottom panel.

It is much by preference that at least one of the main panels of theinner blank has a cut-out portion in a top margin thereof. Preferablythe cut-out portion is of a depth which allows access to, and easyremoval of, smoking articles held within the inner blank when the innerblank is erected.

When the smoking article pack blank is assembled about a plurality ofinner blanks, one main panel of each of the inner blanks is fixed to amain panel of the smoking article pack blank, the other main panel ofeach of the inner blanks is exposed when the line(s) of weakening and/orthe line of integration of the smoking article pack blank is brokenand/or cut and the smoking article pack blank is opened about a hingeline in the side wall thereof.

The assembled smoking article pack is retained in a closed positionuntil first opening by the consumer by means of the lid portion and theunbroken line(s) of weakening of the assembled smoking article packblank. Once the consumer has broken the line(s) of weakening on firstopening of the assembled pack, the pack may be re-closed by means of thelid portion of the assembled smoking article pack blank.

Alternatively the line of weakening and/or line of integration may bebroken or cut before the erected pack has reached the consumer.

It will be readily understood by a person skilled in the art that in thesecond embodiment of the present invention, the erected smoking articlepack blank comprises two longitudinally extending hinge lines in theside walls thereof. It will be further understood that the secondembodiment of the present invention provides a smoking article packblank comprising two lines of weakening, one of which lines of weakeningextends transversely across the bottom panel of the smoking article packblank between the longitudinal margins thereof, the other line ofweakening extends longitudinally between the top margin of the secondmain panel of the smoking article pack blank and the first line ofweakening in the bottom panel of the smoking article pack blank.

The blank of the present invention may be utilised in forming packs ofvarying dimensions and shapes. The present invention may, for example,provide blanks with square, round or bevelled longitudinal margins.Furthermore the present invention may be utilised, for example, informing packs having the dimensions known in the art as International,King Size, SuperKing or Jumbo Carton. Preferably the smoking articlepack blank of the present invention may be erected to form a hinged-lidpack. The present invention may also be used in combination with theinventive concept disclosed in our co-pending patent application WO03/078724.

A smoking article pack assembled from the outer and inner blanks of thepresent invention may be overwrapped with,.for example, a cellophanewrapper. It is much by preference that the cellophane wrapper has a tearstrip for easy removal thereof by the consumer. Advantageously the tearstrip is located such that the consumer must remove the entirecellophane wrapper in order to gain access to the pack and the smokingarticles contained therein. The tear strip may, for example, be locatedabout the lid portion of the assembled pack. Alternatively the tearstrip may be located in longitudinal orientation about the assembledpack.

The present invention further provides a method of assembly of a smokingarticle pack, which smoking article pack is assembled from an outersmoking article pack blank of the present invention and a plurality ofinner blanks, the method of assembly comprising wrapping a bundle ofsmoking articles in a wrapper, feeding an inner blank to a pack assemblymachine, partially erecting the inner blank, plunging the wrapped bundleof smoking articles into the partially erected inner blank, completelyerecting the inner blank about the wrapped bundle of smoking articles,feeding an outer blank to the pack assembly machine, which outer blankis partially erected before two or more erected inner blanks are plungedinto the outer blank, and completely erecting the outer blank about theinner blanks.

Preferably the method of assembly may be performed using one or morepack assembly machines. Most preferably the method of assembly requiresone pack assembly machine.

Preferably the smoking article pack is assembled from an outer smokingarticle pack blank of the present invention in combination with innerblanks of the present invention.

In order that the present invention be easily understood and readilycarried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, tothe accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a smoking article pack outer blank according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an inner blank to be used in combination with the outerblank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a second inner blank to be used in combination with theouter blank of FIG. 1 and the inner blank of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows an outer smoking article pack blank according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an inner blank to be used in combination with the outerblank of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a second inner blank to be used in combination with theouter blank of FIG. 4 and the inner blank of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a further inner blank to be used in combination with theouter blank of FIG. 4 and the inner blanks of FIG. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 shows an alternative arrangement of the inner blank of FIG. 2;

Features common to more than one Figure will be denoted by the samereference numeral.

FIG. 1 shows an outer blank 1 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. Outer blank 1 has a lid portion 2 and a base portion 3. Thelid portion 2, comprises a front panel 4, a back panel 5, a top panel 6and a front inner panel 7. Each of the panels 4, 5, 6 and 7 has a topmargin 8, 9, 10, 11 respectively. In the embodiment of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1, top margins 8, 9, and 10 also form the bottommargins of the front inner panel 7, the top panel 6 and the front panel4 respectively.

The lid portion 2 further comprises longitudinal margins 12 and 13 fromwhich margins depend side panels 14 and 15 respectively. Back panel 5has longitudinal margins 16 and 17. Inner side panels 18 and 19 dependfrom the back panel longitudinal margins 16 and 17. The inner sidepanels 18 and 19 have top margins 20 and 21 respectively, which topmargins form the bottom margins of inner top panels 22 and 23.

Outer blank base portion 3 has a first main panel 24, a second mainpanel 25 and a bottom panel 26 a, 26 b. The base first main panel 24 isinterconnected with lid back panel 5 along hinge line 27. The first mainpanel of the base portion is connected to the bottom panel 26 a, 26 balong margin 28 and the bottom panel 26 a, 26 b is further connected tothe second main panel along margin 29.

The outer blank second main panel 25 has longitudinal margins 30 and 31from which margins depend side panels 32 and 33 respectively. Side flap35 depends from the outer longitudinal margin 34 of side panel 33. In analternative arrangement, side flap 35 may depend from the outerlongitudinal margin 41 of side panel 32.

The first main panel 24 has longitudinal margins 36 and 37. Side panels38 and 39 depend from longitudinal margins 36 and 37 respectively.

Bottom panel 26 has a line of perforation 40 extending betweenlongitudinal margins 42 and 43 thereof.

When the outer blank 1 is erected, side flap 35 lies against the innerface of side panel 39. Alternatively, side flap 35 may lie against theouter face of side panel 39. Side flap 35 is then fixed in position, forexample by gluing, to side panel 39. Longitudinal margin 34 then forms ahinge line thus allowing the erected outer blank 1 to hinge about thathinge line. The sum of the widths of side panels 32 and 38, includingscoring (if present), is equal to the depth of the erected outer blank.The sum of the widths of side panels 32 and 38, including scoring (ifpresent), is equal to the length of each of the bottom panellongitudinal margins 42 and 43. The length of longitudinal margins 42and 43 is equal to a multiple of the diameter of a smoking article,unless the smoking articles are in nested arrangement when the length ofeach of the longitudinal margins 42 and 43 will be slightly less than amultiple of the diameter of a smoking article.

The width of each of side panels 32 and 33, including scoring (ifpresent), is equal to the length of the longitudinal margin of bottompanel portion 26 a. The width of each of side panels 38 and 39,including scoring (if present), is equal to the length of thelongitudinal margin of bottom panel portion 26 b.

FIG. 1 shows an outer blank 1 having round longitudinal margins. Outerblank 1 may alternatively have square or bevelled longitudinal margins.

The outer blank 1 shown in FIG. 1 may be used in combination with theinner blanks shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, inner blank 44 comprisesmain panels 45 and 46 and a bottom panel 47. Main panel 45 is connectedto bottom panel 47 along margin 48. Main panel 46 is connected to bottompanel 47 along margin 49. The inner blank 44 further comprises sidepanels 50, 51, 52 and 53, the side panels depending from thelongitudinal margins 54, 55, 56 and 57 of the main panels 45 and 46respectively. The inner blank has lugs 58 and 59, which lugs retain thelid portion 2 of outer blank lin a closed position when the pack isfully erected. Inner blank 44 has cut-out sections 60 and 61. Cut-outsection 60 allows the consumer access to the smoking articles retainedby the erected inner blank.

Inner blank 44 is positioned within outer blank 1 such that the mainpanel 45 of inner blank 44 lies against the inner surface of the secondmain panel 25 of the outer blank 1. The inner blank 44 may then be fixedin place, for example, by gluing. It is preferable that inner blank 44should be erected and filled with smoking articles before being fixed toouter blank 1.

FIG. 3 shows a second inner blank 62 for use in combination with theouter blank 1 of FIG. 1 and the inner blank 44 of FIG. 2. Second innerblank 62 has main panels 63 and 64, and a bottom panel 65. Main panels63 and 64 have side panels 66, 67, 68 and 69, which side panels dependfrom longitudinal margins 70, 71, 72 and 73 respectively. Main panel 64is connected to bottom panel 65 along margin 74 and main panel 63 isconnected to bottom panel 65 along margin 75.

Cut-out sections 76 and 77 are provided in the top margins 78 and 79 ofmain panels 64 and 63.

When erected, inner blank 62 enwraps a bundle of smoking articles, innerblank 62 is then placed onto outer blank 1 such that main panel 64 liesagainst the inner surface of the outer blank first main panel 24. Outerblank 1 is then erected about inner blanks 44 and 62.

The smoking article pack formed when the outer and inner blanks areerected may then be wrapped in an outer wrapper, for example cellophane.A tear-strip is then provided to allow the consumer to remove the outerwrapper from the assembled pack. The line of perforation 40 is thenbroken there along and the lid hinged along hinge line 27, thereforeproviding access to the outer surfaces of panels 46 and 63. Panels 46and 63 may be used to provide information to the consumer.Alternatively, panels 46 and 63 may be printed with graphics and/orindicia, the surfaces being visible to the consumer when the erectedpack is in an open position.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative outer blank 81 according to a secondembodiment of the present invention. The outer blank 81 of the secondembodiment has all the features of the outer blank 1 of FIG. 1. Theouter blank 81 of FIG. 4 has an additional side flap 80 depending fromlongitudinal margin 41 of side panel 32. Thus the outer blank 81 of FIG.4 has two side flaps depending from the longitudinal margins of sidepanels 32 and 33. A line of perforation 82 extends longitudinally fromthe top margin 83 of second main panel 25, across margin 29 into bottompanel 26. The line of perforation 82 extends to, but not beyond, line ofperforation 40.

When the outer blank 81 is erected, side flaps 80 and 35 lie against theinner surface of side panels 38 and 39 and are fixed thereto, forexample by gluing. When lines of perforation 82 and 40 are broken, theouter blank is free to hinge about the two side hinge lines formed alonglongitudinal margins 34 and 41. In an alternative arrangement, sideflaps 80 and 35 may lie against the outer surface of side panels 38 and39 when outer blank 81 is erected.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show inner blanks suitable for use in combination withthe outer blank 1 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows an inner blank 84, comprising main panels 85 and 86, and abottom panel 87. Main panel 85 has side panels 88 and 89, which sidepanels (88, 89) depend from longitudinal margins 90 and 91 respectively.

Main panel 86 has side panels 92 and 93, which side panels (92, 93)depend from longitudinal margins 94 and 95.

FIG. 6 shows a further inner blank 96, comprising main panels 97 and 98,and a bottom panel 99. Main panel 97 has side panels 100 and 101depending from longitudinal margins 102 and 103 respectively.

Main panel 98 has side panels 104 and 105, which side panels havelongitudinal margins 106 and 107 from which margins side panels 104 and105 depend.

FIG. 7 shows a further inner blank 108, comprising main panels 109 and110, and bottom panel 111. Main panel 109 has side panels 112 and 113depending from longitudinal margins 114 and 115.

Main panel 110 has side panels 116 and 117, depending from longitudinalmargins 118 and 119 respectively.

When assembling a smoking article pack from the outer blank 81 of FIG. 4and the inner blanks of FIG. 5, 6 and 7, main panel 109 of inner blank108 is fixed, for example by gluing, to first main panel 24 of outerblank 81. Side panels 112 and 113 are secured by gluing to the innersurfaces of side panels 38 and 39 of outer blank 81.

Main panel 98 of inner blank 96 is secured to the inner surface of afirst portion 25 a of the second main panel of outer blank 81. Sidepanel 104 of inner blank 96 is secured to the inner surface of sidepanel 32 of outer blank 81.

Main panel 86 of inner blank 84, is secured to the inner surface of asecond portion 25 b of the second main panel of outer blank 81. Sidepanel 93 of inner blank 84 is secured to the inner surface of side panel35 of outer blank 81.

The outer blank 81 and inner blanks 84, 96 and 108 may then be fullyassembled to form a smoking article pack. The smoking article pack maythen be overwrapped, for example, by cellophane.

It is much by preference that the inner blanks are assembled aboutbundles of smoking articles before assembly of the outer blank about theinner blanks.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative arrangement of the inner blank of FIG. 2.Cut-out portion 60 is of a lesser depth dimension than the correspondingcut-out portion 60 of the inner blank of FIG. 2. It will be apparent toa person skilled in the art that when the outer blank 1 of FIG. 1 isassembled about the inner blanks shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, access to thesmoking articles within the assembled pack is initially restricted untilthe line of perforation 40 of the outer blank 1 is broken and the packassembly is hinged open about line 34.

The outer and inner blanks represented in the aforegoing Figures mayhave round, square or bevelled longitudinal margins. The blanks may alsobe of dimensions suitable for any size of smoking article pack orcarton. The outer and inner blanks of the present invention, when usedin combination in assembling a smoking article pack, should be suitablydimensioned such that the outer blank may be assembled about a pluralityof inner blanks.

1. A smoking article pack blank, the blank comprising a lid portion anda base portion, the lid portion and the base portion beinginterconnected along a hinge line and the base portion comprising afirst main panel, a second main panel which face each other when theblank is erected, and a bottom panel, each panel being defined bylongitudinal side margins, side panels depending from the longitudinalmargins of the first and second main panels, and a side flap which isconnected to the longitudinal margin of a side panel of one of the mainpanels and which connects the first and second main panels when theblank is erected.
 2. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 1,wherein the side flap is connected to the adjacent side panel by a hingeline.
 3. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 1, wherein eachpanel has a top margin and a bottom margin.
 4. A smoking article packblank according to claim 1, wherein bottom panel of the smoking articlepack blank comprises at least two bottom panel sections.
 5. A smokingarticle pack blank according to claim 4, wherein said bottom panelcomprises two bottom panel sections.
 6. A smoking article pack blankaccording to claim 4, wherein said bottom panel sections may be joinedalong a line of weakening.
 7. A smoking article pack blank according toclaim 6, wherein said line of weakening extends between the longitudinalmargins of the bottom panel.
 8. A smoking article pack blank accordingto claim 7, wherein said line of weakening in said bottom panel extendsbetween the longitudinal margins of said bottom panel in parallelrelation to the top margin and/or the bottom margin of said bottompanel.
 9. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 6, whereinsaid line of weakening is a line of perforation.
 10. A smoking articlepack blank according to claim 4, wherein said bottom panel sections areintegral with one another.
 11. A smoking article pack blank according toclaim 10, wherein said bottom panel sections are separable from oneanother.
 12. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 11, whereinsaid bottom panel sections are separable from one another along a lineof integration.
 13. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 12,wherein said line of integration extends between the opposinglongitudinal margins of the bottom panel.
 14. A smoking article packblank according to claim 13, wherein said line of integration extendsbetween the opposing longitudinal margins of the bottom panel inparallel relation to the top margin and/or the bottom margin of thebottom panel.
 15. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 1,wherein said bottom panel has a depth dimension and said side panelshave width dimensions substantially equal to a multiple of the diameterof a smoking article.
 16. A smoking article pack blank according toclaim 1, wherein the width dimension of each of the side panelsdepending from a main panel of the smoking article pack blank issubstantially equal to the depth dimension of that bottom panel sectionadjacent to that main panel, which bottom panel section is delimited bythe line of weakening or the line of integration in the bottom panel.17. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 1, wherein saidpanels have a common longitudinal axis.
 18. A smoking article pack blankaccording to claim 1, wherein the total depth dimension of said bottompanel is equal to the sum of the width of the side panel depending fromthe longitudinal margin of the first main panel and the width of a sidepanel depending from the longitudinal margin of said second main panel.19. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 2, wherein saidhinge line connecting the side flap and the side panel is formed fromthe common longitudinal margin between the side flap and the adjacentside panel.
 20. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 1,wherein said side flap depends from the outer longitudinal margin of aside panel of said second main panel of said base portion.
 21. A smokingarticle pack blank according to claim 1, wherein, when said blank iserected, said side flap depends from a longitudinal margin of a sidepanel of the first or the second main panel and said side flap overlapsa side panel of the other main panel of the blank.
 22. A smoking articlepack blank according to claim 21, wherein said side panel and saidoverlapping side flap are of substantially equal width dimensions.
 23. Asmoking article pack blank according to claim 1, wherein, when the blankis erected, the longitudinal margin of the side panel from which theside flap depends forms a longitudinally extending hinge line in a sidewall of the erected blank.
 24. A smoking article pack blank according toclaim 1, wherein said blank is an outer blank.
 25. A smoking articlepack blank according to claim 7, wherein said base portion comprises twoside flaps, which side flaps depend respectively from the longitudinalmargins of the first and second side panels of one of the main panels.26. A smoking article pack blank according to claim 25, wherein saidside flaps depend from the outer longitudinal margins of the first andsecond side panels of said second main panel.
 27. A smoking article packblank according to claim 25, wherein said blank further comprises asecond line of weakening, which second line of weakening extendslongitudinally from the top margin of said second main panel to thebottom margin of said second main panel.
 28. A smoking article packblank according to claim 27, wherein said second line of weakeningextends longitudinally in substantially parallel relation to thelongitudinal side margins of said second main panel.
 29. A smokingarticle pack blank according to claim 27, wherein said second line ofweakening further extends across the bottom margin of said second mainpanel into said bottom panel.
 30. A smoking article pack blank accordingto claim 27, wherein said second line of weakening is a line ofperforation.
 31. A smoking article pack blank according to incombination with a plurality of inner blanks, which inner blanks, whenerected, are capable of enwrapping a bundle of smoking articles.
 32. Asmoking article pack assembly comprises a smoking article pack blankaccording to claim 1 and a plurality of inner blanks, said smokingarticle pack blank being erectable about said plurality of inner blanks.33. A smoking article pack assembly according to claim 32, wherein saidinner blanks each have at least one main panel.
 34. A smoking articlepack assembly according to claim 33, wherein each of said inner blankscomprises two main panels.
 35. A smoking article pack assembly accordingto claim 32, wherein when said smoking article pack blank is erectedabout said plurality of inner blanks, said smoking article pack assemblyis maintained in a closed position by means of the lid portion of saidpack assembly.
 36. A method of assembly of a smoking article pack, whichsmoking article pack is assembled from the smoking article pack assemblyaccording to claim 31, said method comprising the steps of wrapping abundle of smoking articles in a wrapper, feeding an inner blank to apack assembly machine, partially erecting said inner blank, plungingsaid wrapped bundle of smoking articles into the partially erectedblank, completely erecting said partially erected inner blank about saidwrapped bundle of smoking articles, feeding a smoking article pack blankto the pack assembly machine, said smoking article pack blank beingpartially erected before two or more inner blanks are plunged into saidsmoking article pack blank, and completely erecting said partiallyerected smoking article pack blank about said inner blanks. 37.(canceled)
 38. (canceled)
 39. A smoking article pack assemblysubstantially as hereinbefore described.